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Michael Covel's Blog: The Trend Following Manifesto | Students 70+ Countries

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Trend Following | June 2nd, 2011

Feedback in:

“Michael, would you be able to send me a complimentary book of Trend Commandments? My name and address is as follows: [blank]. Also would you be able to send me information on your trading systems in hard copy form so that I can go through properly? Do you offer any systematic or algorithmic system/software that can help me trend follow? Many thanks in advance for all your assistance and hopefully I can come on board trend following.”

My book is available here. Why do you need a free book? A proper understanding of my firm’s offerings are here. Why do you need our web site in hard copy form?

“Thanks Michael for such a quick reply. Much appreciated. Why do you need to send a free DVD? Also for me to spend $2700 or however much it costs then I need more information in terms of content that I will actually get. What I do not want is lots and lots of paper that does not help me to trade using a trend following strategy and then just 2-3 important small pages or pieces of paper that goes through everything I really do need. What I do not want is lots of ‘noise’ sent to me when 2-3 pages is suffice. I have no idea what I am actually going to get for the amount of money apart from you small snippets of things the systems will include. However what I really need is the turtles rules so basically when to enter and exit a trade, etc. The real meaty stuff without all the ‘blumph’ if that makes sense. Why a free book? First of all it will show me how serious you are to convert people to trend following. Secondly a free complimentary book is more likely to convert me than a free DVD. I have not read or own any of your books but at the moment I am just going on what is on your website. However I apologize and am sorry to have bothered you. Many thanks for such a quick response.”

You did not bother me at all. Our firm sends out a free DVD. We don’t see out free books. I believe that if clients don’t want to spend a few dollars on a book its probably not a good match for my firm. Our trend following training is designed to push all types of people to trend following success. If some part is not for you–so be it. Specifically what you receive is here. Seen that link? The information on that link is either needed by you or not. If there are 2-3 pages of our material that potentially set you on your way to a life time of earnings–who cares if it is 2-3 pages. If there are 200 pages that are useless, but 2-3 pages make it all worth it–that’s a win for our clients. Our success stories may also prove useful.

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Books & Film by Michael Covel

Trend Commandments Aggressive-take-no-prisoners trend following manifesto. Buy & holders might weep.

Purchase | Reviews

Trend Following Classic trend following bestseller with 100,000+ sold & now in 10+ languages.

Purchase | Reviews

The Complete TurtleTrader Nurture trumps nature in Wall Street's greatest rags to riches trading story. Bestseller #2.

Purchase | Reviews

The Little Book of Trading Behind the scenes part narrative & part interview in the spirit of Market Wizards.

Purchase | Reviews

Broke: The New American Dream Covel's directorial debut: trend following meets the financial crisis. Winners tell how (DVD).

Purchase | Reviews

Books & Film by Michael Covel

Trend Commandments Aggressive-take-no-prisoners trend following manifesto. Buy & holders might weep.

Purchase | Reviews

Trend Following Classic trend following bestseller with 100,000+ sold & now in 10+ languages.

Purchase | Reviews

The Complete TurtleTrader Nurture trumps nature in Wall Street's greatest rags to riches trading story. Bestseller #2.

Purchase | Reviews

The Little Book of Trading Behind the scenes part narrative & part interview in the spirit of Market Wizards.

Purchase | Reviews

Broke: The New American Dream Covel's directorial debut: trend following meets the financial crisis. Winners tell how (DVD).

Purchase | Reviews

Bruce

I have to say to anyone considering buying the course that it is money well worth it. The reading list alone, which is free, is worth more than an MBA. Having finished the main texts and half or so of the recommended reading books. I cannot stress the amount of time savings there is in the learning curve of trend following that it has been for me. Thank you, Michael.
Mike

Please send a complimentary copy of your new book
in that I am doing a book report for school…
yeh…that’s it–a book report…. and having read your other 2 books can’t wait to read..oops!…review you newest. Will return it after reviewing it…which might take awhile since I have to paint a bridge I just bought in Brooklyn.

Keep up the good work.
Gene

Amazon lists July 2 as the release date, is that accurate? That’s month away, so congrats on the book Michael!

Gene
rob kramer

I have a very visceral response to people like that. Can you send me a free book?? Maybe you can fly him to Chicago as well so he can figure out if the information he learns from the panel warrants spending money on your course.
John Gowing

As he meets Mr Market alone, unarmed, and afraid, he’ll soon learn that the $2700 is in the noise compared to the tuition that Mr Market charges….The Turtle Rules are straightforward and well known – How to stick to them is another subject…There’s lots of books about that as well..
Good Luck – You’ll need it
DGDye

@ John
Ditto!! I could get Ed Seykota’s software and hand it out free to everyone that wants to trendfollow…and 95% of them would lose money, guaranteed.

I’ve seen it over and over again with people I know, smart people who asked me for links to Trendfollowing. In fact, the smarter they were, the more money they lost. I think Bill Dunn says that in Michael’s TF book (?) as well.

Too much ego + too much thinking during trading = Major Lo$$eS

As for free books, I’ve bought 10 copies of TF alone over the years and given away 7 of them. Had one stolen at Starbucks where it was scattered on a table with other investment books that were left untouched by the thief…”Trend Following”: the preferred investment book of scuzzball coffee-house thieves everywhere!!
Matt

Hey,
I have some sympathy with the quoted person; however, he should have read ‘TF’ if he is even considering the course, fool.

What I would like to ask, is how different is the content of this new book if we have read ‘TF’ and ‘TT’? If it is not substantially different, why is it (hopefully in a non-cynical manner) being published?

What would be interesting would be if a system was precisely described, with the exact rules contained. However, I doubt this would contained within the book as people do not want to give away their profitable systems, unless it is in an expensive course, which even then would be a model of a system rather than the traders literal system.

So what differentiates this book from the TF book, other than a different release-date?

Thanks.
http://michaelcovel.com Michael Covel

There are some words from 3rd parties about ‘Trend Commandments’ here: http://www.trendcommandments.com.
Matt

Well… ok, but that isn’t what I asked. And what I asked is not covered in your third-party comments, nor the information.

As you wrote the books, you clearly had a different purpose in mind when writing the TC than the TF book, so again (with my non-cynical attitude) how are they essentially different? And how can you justify asking someone to buy the second when they have the first?
http://michaelcovel.com Michael Covel

Where was it said that ‘Trend Commandments‘ is the same book as ‘Trend Following’? Your cynicism is kind of pathetic. If the reviews mean nothing to you, so be it. Perhaps, before jumping to conclusions you might just read ‘Trend Commandments’ and find out what the book actually is …and if it doesn’t have in it whatever you might want–you can always author a book too, right?

You always know the cynic in the corner is the one telling everyone he is not a cynic…
http://michaelcovel.com Michael Covel

Lorne Giles, aka ‘Matt’, the book will be out shortly and you can make your judgements.
Matt

Hah you got the request for the dvd and tried to put 2+2 together. Very nice, if unjustified. A few people share this email so sadly the presumption is a mistake, plaudits however. Although I do question your eagerness to share presumed personal details, it shows a distinct lack of integrity.

It is a shame you do not address any of my comments, a sign of admission? I had hoped for a sincere dialogue here, my mistake.
http://michaelcovel.com Michael Covel

I have disgust for weenies who run around under aliases–especially ones who play games on my blog. You are in college now. Here is some advice–stop. Act like an adult and you can make progress.
Matt

Weenies? What does this word mean?
How do you presume the college status?
At what am I playing a game? How many times do I have to stress I am sincere?
You think attempting to rationalise a purchase is not acting like an adult? I think you are being offensive in your presumption, your willingness to share what you presume to be personal details, and simply the lack of gratitude for someone who has already bought two of your books and genuinely interested in the system.
I came here in good faith, my comments were sincere, yet you have no answer and respond with offensive behaviour and hollow advice in order to appear authoritative. I think the advice to grow up may be more effective upon you than I.

Good day Sir,
Aaron

I’m new to trend trading and I’ve read through almost the entire website, bought TF and attended a trend trading course as well. No, it didn’t come free. Its costing me time, money and giving me invaluable wisdom.

If people aren’t willing to spend a little cash to invest in knowledge, how are you going to suceed in real trading?

Like someone said earlier, we can give you the indicators and rules. But 95% of you are still gonna lose your pants coz your mindset is wrong.
http://michaelcovel.com Michael Covel

Thanks Aaron.
http://michaelcovel.com Michael Covel

Lorne Giles, aka ‘Matt’, you leave tracks. As I said, you are in college and perhaps now is a good time to learn a lesson about pretending to be other people–stop.
DG Dye

Here’s a thought…a book costs about $20 or so. If you’re humming and hawing over this “major”investment, good luck pulling the trigger on a couple of $8,500 crude oil contracts when your signal tells you to buy or sell.

In short, anyone who hesitates to buy a book which chronicles methodologies and approaches of billion dollar investors will NOT make it as a trader.

Plain and simple.

Michael Covel and Trend Following Blog